OBJECTIVETo explore the relevance between chronic benzene poisoning and ABO blood type.

METHODS1014 benzene-exposed workers chosen from Shanghai and 4196 non-benzene-exposed workers chosen from Yangpu district were accepted the ABO blood type identification, and two groups of workers compared with the Han population of Shanghai and China for the ABO blood type distribution; the 71 cases of chronic benzene poisoning were compared with the group of benzene-exposed workers for the ABO blood type distribution.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences of the ABO blood type distribution among the Han population of China, the Han population of Shanghai and the group of non-benzene-exposed workers (x(2)=7.95, P>0.05). The A type blood distribution frequency in the group of chronic benzene poisoning patients was 42.25%, significantly higher than the group of benzene-exposed workers (29.48%), and there was statistically significant difference (x(2)=5.11,P<0.05). The B type blood distribution frequency in the group of chronic benzene poisoning patients was 12.68% , significantly lower than the group of benzene-exposed workers (25.15%), and there was statistically significant difference (x(2)=5.61, P0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe people with A type blood are susceptible to chronic benzene poisoning, however, the people with B type blood are not susceptible to chronic benzene poisoning.